Michelle's Review: Faithful Place by Tana French

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Hardcover: 416 pagesPublisher: Viking AdultLanguage: EnglishISBN13:978-0670021871Source of my copy: from the publisherSynopsis (from Goodreads)The course of Frank Mackey's life was set by one defining moment when he was nineteen. The moment his girlfriend, Rosie Daly, failed to turn up for their rendezvous in Faithful Place, failed to run away with him to London as they had planned. Frank never heard from her again. Twenty years on, Frank is still in Dublin, working as an undercover cop. He's cut all ties with his dysfunctional family. Until his sister calls to say that Rosie's suitcase has been found. Frank embarks on a journey into his past that demands he reevaluate everything he believes to be true.

Michelle's Review:Faithful Place is told in Frank Mackey's (Cassie's boss from The Likeness) perspective through first person narration. This book takes us back to when Frank was nineteen years old and was meeting his girlfriend Rosie so they can run away to England together and leave their respective dysfunctional families behind. Rosie never showed up that night and after Frank found a note from her, he figured she'd ditched him and went off on her own. He never heard from her again. Fast forward twenty years later and Frank is now an undercover squad detective in Dublin. He got a call that someone found Rosie's suitcase in a old, decrepit house on Faithful Place that used to be the old hang-out of teenagers in the neighborhood where Frank and Rosie grew up. Soon, someone's remains is also found and Frank finds himself back on Faithful Place revisiting his past. He is back with the family he swore he'll never see again and getting sucked in to all their drama again, all the while investigating the possible murder of his old girlfriend.

I am a big fan of Tana French's In the Woods and The Likeness so I was really looking forward to reading Faithful Place (these three books are more companion books than series so they can be read as standalone). I had fully intended to purchase this book myself but the publisher was nice enough to send me a copy. I had high expectations going into this book and almost all my expectations were met. I guessed early on who the murder was and I was proved right but that hardly mattered because the author's writing is addictive and compelling and I just kept on reading as events in Frank's past were revealed and secrets were unraveled. This book is more than a mystery novel though as it's in a big way also about family. Frank is an interesting character--he's not entirely likable but you know where he is coming--I enjoyed getting into his head and seeing him interact with his daughter because he was a bit of a mystery to me in the previous books. The secondary characters were well-developed and the dialogue, in Dublin vernacular, brisk and refreshing.

While this book isn't as eerie and disturbing as the author's first two novels, it is creepy in its own way. One of the reasons I was looking forward to this book so much is that I am hoping the author will show us a little peek on how Rob Ryan or Cassie Maddox is doing but there is no mention of them at all which disappointed me a little. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book (it may be my new favorite of the three books!) and I am looking forward to reading more from the author. 4.75 out of 5 stars

Other books by the author:Faithful Place came out July 13 and is available in stores and online.